Figure 9. TNP delivery to the liver blocks development of micro-metastases.

(a) Representative liver micro-metastasis, 2 weeks after i.v. injection of 4T1 breast cancer cells (haematoxylin and eosin staining of FFPE tissue section). (b) TNP reduces liver micro-metastasis development in the 4T1 model of haematogenous metastasis (two-tailed t-test; shown as mean±s.e.m.; n≥5). To initially deliver TNPs to host phagocytes (rather than tumour cells), TNPs were i.v. administered (1 mg kg⁻¹) 6 h before i.v. injection of 4T1 cancer cells, such that TNP largely cleared the circulation at the time of cancer cell administration. One-third of the cohort received subsequent TNP treatments as indicated.